Update (March 1): Increasing fear of a Covid-19 outbreak has forced many Americans out of their homes and millennials from their parents’ basements to panic buy food at Costco stores across the country this weekend:

Mass fear of the corona virus cause people to panic and stock up on water, toilet paper and Clorox wipes at all the Costco stores. Crazy pic.twitter.com/AyDMgIzDiy

Costco in Adelaide today (not my photos). All checkouts open with 40 minute wait (normally 5), lineup half the length of the building, with pallets of toilet paper flying out the door. There are only 3 confirmed cases of #coronavirus, with 2 recovered, in South Australia. pic.twitter.com/3kHPnMS1af

I live in the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Washington State. My advice for those elsewhere – go to Costco now. Thousands of people at local stores yesterday – not where you want to be if there is a virus spreading. Glad I went a week ago.

And apparently everyone has different priorities ahead of a possible pandemic. As one person loaded up on “condoms and a big jar of coconut oil.”

I was sent to a Costco to see if people are stocking up (even though health officials say it’s not necessary) in case COVID-19 gets more serious here. This guy came out of the store with 16 boxes of condoms and a big jar of coconut oil. We all have priorities. pic.twitter.com/C3edUsgZzH

The same long lines that we’ve seen in China, Japan, South Korea, and across the world as people panic buy food and health supplies have started in the US.

On Saturday, the US Surgeon General urged people to “stop buying masks,” saying on Twitter that they’re not effective in preventing the general public from catching coronavirus.

Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS!

They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!https://t.co/UxZRwxxKL9